What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On October 30 2015, at 1715 CST, a 1970 Champion (citabria), N9105L.
The PIC, on a part 91 personal flight after take-off from Sheridan airport 9M8 runway 01 to the south and started to lose power.
PIC attempted a 180 degree turn to return to airport, engine continued to lose power and then quit running, he could no longer maintain flight. He elected to do an off field landing, explained to passenger his intentions.
At approx 300 feet from north end of runway airplane contacted pine trees at approx. 40 feet high, the trees pushed the airplane backward and aircraft fell to ground in an approx. 15 degree nose down approx. 5 degree right wing down attitude, substantial damage to aircraft wings and fuselage including fuselage lower and just aft of firewall area. Pilot and passenger were not injured. This flight was conducted in day VFR meteorological conditions.
As the FAA filed it
ON OCTOBER 30 2015, AT 1715 CST, A 1970 CHAMPION (CITABRIA), N9105L.
THE PIC, ON A PART 91 PERSONAL FLIGHT AFTER TAKE-OFF FROM SHERIDAN AIRPORT 9M8 RUNWAY 01 TO THE SOUTH AND STARTED TO LOSE POWER.
PIC ATTEMPTED A 180 DEGREE TURN TO RETURN TO AIRPORT, ENGINE CONTINUED TO LOSE POWER AND THEN QUIT RUNNING, HE COULD NO LONGER MAINTAIN FLIGHT. HE ELECTED TO DO AN OFF FIELD LANDING, EXPLAINED TO PASSENGER HIS INTENTIONS.
AT APPROX 300 FEET FROM NORTH END OF RUNWAY AIRPLANE CONTACTED PINE TREES AT APPROX. 40 FEET HIGH, THE TREES PUSHED THE AIRPLANE BACKWARD AND AIRCRAFT FELL TO GROUND IN AN APPROX. 15 DEGREE NOSE DOWN APPROX. 5 DEGREE RIGHT WING DOWN ATTITUDE, SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO AIRCRAFT WINGS AND FUSELAGE INCLUDING FUSELAGE LOWER AND JUST AFT OF FIREWALL AREA. PILOT AND PASSENGER WERE NOT INJURED. THIS FLIGHT WAS CONDUCTED IN DAY VFR METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.
Other reports on N9105L · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.